Kenza, a former Muslim, wants to move forward with Christ

“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” These are the words that thousands of catechumens around the world are preparing to hear on Easter night when they are baptized. Throughout Lent, Aleteia is sharing with you the stories of some of these men and women, who are happy to become children of God.

At the dawn of her adult life, Kenza, 19, already knows what she wants. Two years ago, this young woman with a strong character began preparing for the biggest leap of her life: baptism, which she will receive on Easter night.

“I can't wait. I've been preparing for two years,” she says. “I was afraid I wouldn't be ready, because two years goes by fast. But I feel ready, I have no doubts, no fears.” Kenza forged this iron will in the trials of life with her family. “I grew up as a Muslim,” she explains. “My father was violent and we had to flee. It turned me off to religion as an adolescent.” But the young woman didn’t abandon the conviction that God exists, and that she had to find her way to him.

Becoming reacquainted with a friend from high school while in Valencia led the young woman to turn to the Christian faith. “She was very religious. She would tell me about her weekends when she went to church, and by talking about it together, little by little, she led me to the Catholic religion.”

Kenza nourished her nascent faith by reading the Bible and praying. Visiting Valencian churches with her friend was also important to her, but a bad experience kept her away from Mass for a few months. “I felt like I was in the way, and when you're a teenager, you don't have a lot of self-confidence and you're easily destabilized,” she says. “I took it step by step, at my own pace.”

Kenza moved to Menton, in southern France, to continue her studies. There, she came across a parish community that welcomed her and where she felt at home. She then asked to be baptized, as she wanted to show her love for Christ.

“I know that he’s always there with me; it's the first thing I think of in difficult times,” she says. “It's a relationship of sharing. He’s always there for me, and I’m there for him. I’m also getting baptized for him to prove that my faith is very real,” she adds.

She even insisted on taking the step after reaching the age of majority. “It's very good to be baptized at a very young age, because you feed on faith from a very young age,” the young woman continues. “But I will remember my baptism all my life. I’m proud of that. I wasn’t born into this faith, but it’s the one my heart has chosen.”

In Pont-Saint-Esprit, in the department of Gard southern France, where she has settled, she’s completing her preparation with about 10 other catechumens. “I want to move forward with Christ and with the whole Christian community,” says the young woman. “The parish does me a lot of good; I go to Mass every Sunday and we get together, always in a good mood.”

At her side in the group of catechumens is another young woman who’s involved in the same basketball team. For the big day, the whole team will be there to support them. Kenza’s mother and sisters, who have welcomed her decision and are supporting her, will also be there.

When asked which prayer she likes the most, she replies, “The Hail Mary prayer is the one I learned first.” Her voice changes as she talks about the Virgin Mary, and you can hear all the joy, mixed with a lot of admiration. “I find them incredibly beautiful! (The prayer and the Virgin Mary, editor's note.) It's a magnificent story. Many people must’ve seen it in a strange light, because her story is atypical, but she fought and gave life to Christ. She’s a very inspiring woman!” Fighting for Christ: is there a more beautiful promise on the eve of her 20th birthday?